Air India Delhi–Bengaluru flight suffers tail strike during landing

An Air India flight AI2651 suffered a tail strike while landing at Bengaluru airport, prompting grounding and cancellation of the return service. All 179 passengers and crew were safe, and the aircraft will undergo detailed inspection as per aviation safety protocols

New Delhi: An Air India flight from Delhi to Bengaluru suffered a tail strike while landing at Bengaluru International Airport, the airline said on Thursday. The Air India flight AI2651, with 179 people on board, was grounded after it experienced a tail strike during landing at the Bengaluru airport.

The airline said the aircraft landed safely and all passengers and crew members disembarked normally. Following the incident, the aircraft has been grounded for a detailed inspection. Air India added that the matter will be investigated in line with established procedures.

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Due to the grounding of the aircraft, the return flight AI2652 from Bengaluru to Delhi was cancelled. The airline said alternative arrangements are being made to accommodate affected passengers at the earliest.

Meanwhile, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said recently that the investigation into the crash of Air India Flight AI 171, which claimed 260 lives in Ahmedabad, is in its final stages and is likely to be completed within a month.

The crash investigation is in the final stage and could even be completed in a month. However, the investigation is being done by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and we don’t interfere in it. We are giving them all the resources they need, the minister said.

Emphasising the need for transparency in the probe, Naidu said the final report would be subject to international scrutiny as the ill-fated flight had foreign nationals onboard. The AAIB had submitted its preliminary investigation findings to the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation on July 12, 2025.

Responding to concerns raised by some families of the victims regarding a lack of communication and delays in compensation from the airline, Naidu said the ministry was closely monitoring the situation and remained in touch with Air India .

The tragic crash took place on June 12, 2025, when a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner operating as Air India flight AI 171 took off from Runway 23 of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport for London Gatwick.